Yankees would need to clear salary room for Yu Darvish

Baseball beat writers for The Record/NorthJersey.com, will talk about what's ahead for the Mets and Yankees during Spring Training 2018. Matt Ehalt will cover the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Florida as Pete Caldera follows the Yankees in Tampa.

Starting pitcher Yu Darvish (21) throws to first base for an out during game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. It was Darvish's first game with the Los Angeles Dodgers.(Photo: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports)

In this snail’s paced Hot Stove season, Yu Darvish seems willing to wait a little longer if there’s any chance of becoming a Yankee.

Wednesday morning on MLB Network, Ken Rosenthal reported that the delay in Darvish’s signing is due, in part, to efforts by the Yanks to potentially clear salary space. The same can be said of the Dodgers, who are Darvish’s top choice according to the Los Angeles Times.

Given the two teams’ reluctance to add any more significant payroll this offseason, Rosenthal categorized the Yanks and Dodgers chances at landing Darvish as “probably somewhat slim.’’

The Cubs, Rangers, Twins and Brewers have also been tied to interest in the right-handed Darvish, 31, who was a combined 10-12 with a 3.86 ERA in 31 starts for the Rangers and Dodgers in 2017.

Poised to finally get under the luxury tax threshold ($197 million) and reset for next year’s potential free agent class – starring Manny Machado and Bryce Harper – the Yankees would have to subtract some 2018 salary to add Darvish, which is easier said than done.

Jacoby Ellsbury is due $68.5 million over the final three years of his contract, which contains a full no-trade clause. And the Yanks would have to absorb a significant portion of that salary just to move him.

And there doesn’t appear to be any motivation for the Yanks to deal David Robertson or Brett Gardner; each player is on the last guaranteed year of his contract, due $13 million.

But the Yankees have a desired wish for another starter to join their rotation, with a front four of Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Sonny Gray and CC Sabathia.

And Yankees general manager Brian Cashman praised Darvish during a radio interview earlier this month.

“Do we recognize Yu Darvish as a unique talent and a premier starting pitcher available in this marketplace? The answer to that is yes,’’ Cashman told WFAN, adding: “We’ve been working hard toward this (payroll) goal…And I do think there are things we can do to create more flexibility if we so choose. And that’s why you stay in touch with players as high end as Yu Darvish, amongst others out there.’’

Darvish could complete a stout Yankees rotation that already includes Severino, Sonny Gray, CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka. New York returns most of a bullpen that finished third in MLB last season with a 3.34 ERA.

In five MLB seasons, Darvish holds a solid 56-42 record along with a 3.42 ERA despite missing the 2015 season due to injury. The postseason has been a different story though, as Darvish has a rough 5.81 ERA in six starts. That includes a brutal 2017 World Series with the Dodgers where he allowed eight runs over just 3.1 innings in his two starts.

The Brewers have also emerged as a contender for Darvish, per FanRag Sports. The team is still looking to add another quality starter after adding Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich last week.